Paste dispenser



May 16, 1961 R. P. MAGNENAT PASTE DISPENSER Filed Dec. 51, 1959 INVENTOR,Ps/v PAU/ Maf/wwf??- United States Patent() PASTE DISPENSER Ren P.Magnenat, Naugatuck, Conn., assignol to Exec Manufacturing CorporationFiled Dec. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 863,133

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-501) This invention relates to a hand-held pastedispenser and more particularly a valve structure for use in such adispenser.

An object of the invention is the production of a paste dispenser havinga paste reservoir similar in general shape to a fountain pen and with avalve structure at its lower end adapted to deposit a drop of liquidpaste on any surface against which the end is pressed.

A further object is the provision of a nylon valve structure which maybe injection molded in one piece and which combines means for sealing apaste dispensing orice with spring means for urging the valve into asealing position.

Another object is the provision of means for rotating the valve in thedispenser during the use thereof in order to facilitate paste flow andto break the film of hardened paste which may form in the orifice.

A further object is the provision of a valve structure which will notremain permanently open even if depressed beyond its normal range.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and drawings, in which Fig. l is a side view of the pastedispenser taken on plane 1--1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a partial side view similar to Fig. 1 showing the dispenser inthe process of applying paste to a surface; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on plane 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. l a dispenser is shown comprised of reservoir body 10 and a nose11, both of which may be injection molded of plastic. The upper end ofthe reservoir body has a filler opening 12 closed by filler plug 13which makes a friction fit therein. The filler plug is injection moldedof a resilient plastic, such as nylon, and may be removed and replacedby hand for filling purposes.

The reservoir body is provided with a cylindrical lower portion 14 whichfits within the nose. The joint between these parts may be madepermanent when the dispenser is assembled by suitable glue. Thereservoir body bears annular shoulder 15.

The lower end of the nose is pierced by a paste dispensing orificedefined by valve seat 16. When the dispenser is not in use the orificeis closed by sealing surface 17 on valve head 18 which abuts the valveseat. Attached to the valve head is valve stem 19 which projects throughthe paste dispensing orifice externally of the nose. Extending upwardfrom the valve head is cylindrical valve rod 20. Three spring elementsare attached to the valve rod near its middle. These are shown inrelaxed form in Fig. 1 and by the'solid lines in Fig. 3. Each iscomprised of an arm 21 extending laterally of the valve rod in a planetangent to the surface of the valve rod. The inner surface of the noseis cylindrical at the location of the spring elements and each arm hasan cuter end 22 loosely abutting this cylindrical surface. Attachedcantilever fashion adjacent each outer end 22 is a leaf spring 23 ofarcuate form. The leaf spring at of the dispenser ICC its point ofattachment lies in an imaginary plane containing the arm 21 and tangentto the cylindrical surface of the valve rod 20. lt curves away from thisplane on the side on which the valve rod lies and has a contact portion23' abutting annular shoulder 15.

As may best be seen in Fig. 3 the leaf springs lie in a section of thenose which is substantially cylindrical on its inner surface. The outeredge 24 of each leaf spring is curved to conform to this cylindricalsurface.

It has been found that the complete valve structure may be injectionmolded of nylon as this plastic shows sufiicient strength and wearresistance of the valve stem combined with resiliency in the springelements.

In use the reservoir is filled through the filler opening with liquidpaste 25 and the opening closed with the filler plug. The dispenser maythen be carried in the pocket without fear of leakage. When it isdesired to apply the paste to a surface 26, the nose portion is pusheddown on the surface as shown in Fig. 2. This depresses the valve stemand opens the valve, allowing a drop of paste to contact the paper, towhich it adheres when the dispenser is raised. Fig. 1 shows thedispenser after depositing a drop of paste 28. As may be seen, an excess27 of paste remains about the outside of the nose portion on the valvestem and a thin film remains between the valve seat and the sealingsurface. Unless the dispenser is used immediately this excess maythicken upon exposure to the air, resulting in a rubbery obstruction ora hard plug. One of the advantages of applicants valve structure is thatupon depression of the valve stem the valve head not only travelsinwardly of the reservoir but rotates about its axis. This effect occursbecause the contact portions 23 of the leaf springs do not sliderelative to the annular shoulder 15 and depression of the valve stemconsequently causes the point of attachment of the leaf spring to thearm to move up and to one side. The effect is seen in Figs. l and 2. InFig. 3 the position of the arms when the valve stem is depressed isshown by dashed lines.

The rotary movement of the valve head during depression aids the linearmovement thereof in stretching and breaking any rubbery film which mayhave formed, thereby insuring good paste ow.

The spring elements serve not only to keep the valve head in contactwith the valve head, but to locate the valve structure coincident withthe central axis of the reservoir by their contact with the walls of thenose.

The disclosed valve structure has an additional advantage in that it isnot possible to force it inwardly of the reservoir so far that itremains in a depressed state. Paste dispensers are used in largequantity in schools where children are apt to poke the end of the valvestem inwardly, out of curiosity or to increase the paste flow when thereservoir is running dry. Various valve structures hitherto developed,while satisfactory in other respects, may remain in a depressed statewhen so poked, destroying the utility of the valve.

The following is claimed:

1. In a fluid dispenser having a hollow liuid reservoir, a valve seatdefining an Vorifice in the reservoir, a valve in the reservoir movablewith respect thereto from a closed to an open position, a valve head onthe valve, a sealing surface on the valve head cooperating with thevalve seat when the valve is in the closed position to block the orificeand when the valve is in the open position to permit uid ow through theorifice, a valve stem on the valve projecting through the orifice andadapted to move the valve from the closed to the open position inresponse to pressure on the outer end thereof, a valve rod projectinginto the reservoir from the valve head in the direction of movement ofthe valve from the closed to the open position, a shoulder inside"'r'itfieeservor Aand rigid vwith*respect thereto, the improve- 'nientcomprising a spring element, said spring 'element comprised of an armextending laterally of the valve vrod, inne r and outer ends yon the armwithl the inner end attackied :to k:the valve fr od, ajleaf vspring'extending from thelout'e'rjend of the arm atan anglejwith respect tothe diIBQtQDLOf nqvemerit 0f the 'valvej'cqnfct Portibs 'i011 4'the`leaf spring remote from its connection with the 'arm and in contactwith the shoulder, the resiliency 'of the `leaf lspring against 'theshoulder tending to move the ilvalve into the closed position.

y2. The improvement of claim 1, comprising at least vtwo spring elementsas'described therein in which the spring 'elements guide the movements'of the valve by "contacting portions of the reservoir.

3. The improvement'of claim `1,compr1sing atleast three spring elementsas described therein in which the spring elements :guide the movementsofthe valve by contacting `portions `of the reservoir.

`4. The improvement of claim 2 comprising a reservoir section having a'cylindrical inner surface vlocated V"adjacent `the'spring elementsandcurved surfaces onthe spring element 'conforming to the cylindricalsurface. -5. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the reservoir is formedof a'nose portion with the 'orifice therein and "ja'body portion `havingan end fitting within an open "end of the nose portion, said end of thebody portion bearing fthe shoulder in the form of an annularsurfacedisposed ina plane perpendicular to the direction of movement "of thevalve.

6. In a valve'structure adapted 'to move Valonga line 'head "for`blocking "an orifice, a valve rod having 'an 'axis parallel to the lineof action, and at least three spring elements equally spaced about andattached to the valve rod at a position remote from the valve head, eachsaid element comprising an arm lying in a plane perpendicular to theaxis and joining tl 1e va lve rod in a direction substantiallytangential to the surface thereof, an outer end of the arm, 'fayleafspririg 'attached to the outer end of the arm, the leaf springbeingarcuate in form with the Aendof 'the spring attached to the arm beingtangent to an imaginary plane, said imaginary plane being tangent to thecylindrical surface of the valve rod and containing thearm, the leafspring bending up from the imaginary plane, 'and lan vouter edge on theleaf spring conforming to the surface of an imaginary cylinder havingthe axis of the valve rod as a central axis.

7. The valve structure of claim 6 which is formed in va single p ieceof'injection molded nylon.

v8. The valve 'structure :of claim 6 in which the leaf spring bends upfrom the imaginary plane onthe same side thereofas that on which theiaxis'of the valve rod is located.

References Cited-intlie-le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,984,393 May 16q 1961 Ren P.Magnenat It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numberedpatent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should readas "corrected below.

Clumn 2, line 45, for nheaol", second occurrelflcey read sea Signed andsealed this 17th day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD I Commissioner of Patents AttestingOfficer U SCO M M DC-

